Executive Function and Attention Profiles of Children with ADHD and / or Reading Disorder: Developmental Neuropsychology and Genetic Contributions

The object of this study was to analyze Attention and EF in children with ADHD and/or Reading Disability. Four groups of children aged between 7 and 12 years (38 ADHD-only, 39 RD-only, 17 ADHD+RD and 37 Normal Controls) were tested Energization Processing, Executive Functioning (Inhibition, Set-shifting, Strategy Application and Verbal Fluency) and Episodic Memory. Children with ADHD-only may present a double deficit of Energization and Strategy Application. Energization and Inhibition deficit shown by children with RD-only are putatively derived from their verbal processing impairment. Children with comorbidity (ADHD+RD) generally performed like the RD-only, therefore the phenocopy hypothesis was supported.